Chapter 25: You’ve Co Back Ho
How much ti had passed?
The ti I had spent in the ancient era was 15 days, three tis—about 45 days in total. By calculation, it should have been about a week here.
What on earth had happened in this city during that ti?
First, I had to check on the safety of my younger siblings.
‘As expected, not here....’
The first place I visited was our mansion and the Ilneon Dungeon.
I had hoped, but as expected, the mansion was completely empty.
Not a single one of our family mbers could be seen in the dungeon either.
‘Right. It’s only natural it’s empty. This isn’t exactly a place easy to defend in ergencies.’
My anxious heart tried to rear its head, but I forced myself to calm down.
‘They must be there, right?’
The only place in this city that was second only to the Lord’s Keep in terms of defense.
I imdiately shot my body toward the opposite side of the city.
I tried to stay calm... but I felt like I couldn’t relax until I saw my siblings’ faces as soon as possible.
* * *
The Baron’s Keep.
That was what the citizens of Kushan City usually called the place.
To the west of Kushan City,
It was located in the so-called ‘Old Town,’ which took up about one-fifth of the Outer City’s total area.
Tap!
I leapt over the ‘Old City Walls’ that surrounded the Old Town in one bound.
As expected, perhaps because the current situation was unusual, soldiers holding torches stood atop the walls, maintaining a stern watch.
Normally, it would have been polite to announce my purpose of visit in front of those walls, but I had no ti for courtesy now.
After evading the soldiers’ eyes and crossing the old walls, I dashed straight toward the Baron’s Keep in the center of the Old Town.
Before long, a crude yet solid-looking fortress appeared before my eyes.
This was the base of Rivera Pietro, the leader of the rebel forces.
It was also the reason he was called the ‘Baron.’
Kushan City was founded 40 years ago.
But this Baron’s Keep had already stood here for 300 years.
Three hundred years ago, the House of Pietro, driven out from Gloryland, had settled here.
Count Kxias had forced Rivera’s father, the baron of that ti, into submission, absorbed this land, and established Kushan City.
So, in a way, this place could be called the starting point, the origin of Kushan City.
‘If it were Seah, she would have co here.’
The sturdy old city walls surrounding the Old Town, though not too tall, and the Baron’s Keep at its center.
Protected by these two walls, this was currently the safest place in Kushan City.
“Huuuuu...”
Even so, I couldn’t help but feel anxious.
They’d be here, right? Yes. They’d all be here.
They’d all be safe.
Just as I was about to leap once more into the Baron’s Keep, a presence approached from behind.
A low, threatening woman’s voice was heard.
“Shh. Don’t move. Who sent you?”
Thin Aura Threads crept out and coiled around .
If I even moved slightly, my body would be shredded in an instant by those Aura Threads.
I couldn’t help but admire it.
‘Peak Expert.’
At this level, in the current Kushan City—where Count Kxias and his confidants were all dead—her skill could be counted on one hand.
“Slowly. Turn your head. Step into the light.”
A voice as cold and unyielding as steel.
Thump.
My heart trembled at that voice.
How long had it been since I’d last heard it...?
Crack.
I reached out with my hand wrapped in aura and brushed away the Aura Threads surrounding .
The orange Aura Threads shattered like sugar fluff, scattering in glimrs.
“W-what the...!”
Toward that voice of shock, I slowly turned my body and t her eyes.
“Katrina. When did you get here?”
“Ahk!”
The woman—Katrina—let out a strange sound and froze stiff.
Her body was rigid, but her pupils trembled violently. Her bright yellow eyes darted over my face, my hand, my legs in quick succession.
“O-Oppa? Is it you? Really?”
“Yeah. It’s been a while.”
When I smiled and waved my hand lightly—
“Aaah! Oppa!”
Katrina threw aside her sword and rushed at .
Good grief, what a ss.
She went wild like a puppy eting its master after ten years.
Grabbing my cheeks and staring into my eyes. Holding my shoulders and inspecting every inch of my body.
Kneading the new right hand I had gained.
Rolling up my left pant leg to check my leg.
“Ahk! It’s real! Aaah! It’s really all healed!”
She scread with joy.
If I left her alone, she looked about ready to sniff too, so I pried her off and asked,
“When did you co back?”
“Two days ago! Seah sent a ssage. She said she was going to strike Kxias. She told to co back just in case sothing happened!”
As Katrina spoke, she lifted the bracelet on her left wrist.
An ancient bracelet engraved with ssage magic.
That too was one of the treasures we had taken with us in subspace when we fled the kingdom.
“I see...”
A whirlpool of emotions surged through .
“That’s good. But when did your skills grow so much? You were definitely a High-grade Expert before!”
Katrina Egion.
The last bloodline of the Ducal House of Egion.
It had been nearly half a year since I last saw her.
To leave Kushan City and search for a new base—that had been her role as the leader of my younger siblings.
That was Katrina.
Two years younger than , she was twenty-five, the eldest among my younger siblings.
Ever since I had lost my hand and foot, she had practically been the one leading the family.
So of course, I couldn’t help but feel overjoyed.
The younger siblings who were my age or just a year younger had all been killed by Blood Count Delkash, and since then, the only one I could lean on like a friend had been her.
“All sorts of things happened. Back when we were in this city, you were so overprotective that I hardly got any real combat experience, right? But once I went outside, Demonic Beasts were everywhere. And in every city we passed through, all kinds of bastards tried their tricks on us.... Honestly, it’s a miracle I ca back alive.”
Wow. Even so, to be a Peak Expert at just twenty-five.
With this, she had the kind of talent that would be recognized as genius anywhere.
Truly worthy of being the heir of the Ducal House of Egion, one of the most prestigious knightly families in the kingdom.
Anyway, I felt relieved.
Judging by the bright expression on her face, it seed everyone was safe.
But just in case, I waited until Katrina had cald down a little before asking seriously.
“The kids... they’re all safe, right?”
Katrina bead.
“Yeah! Everyone’s safe! Ha.... Now that even Oppa has co back, our whole family’s together again. Do you know how long it’s been?”
“You’re right. We’re all gathered. Finally....”
“Ah, but this isn’t the ti.”
Katrina spun around and shouted boldly toward the Baron’s Keep.
Any consideration for those already fast asleep in the middle of the night was tossed far, far away into the sky.
“Everyone co out! Oppa’s back!”
Her booming voice rang out, and startled soldiers’ torches flickered like swarming moths.
A brief silence.
And then...
Bang!
Crash!
Doors burst open here and there, and the sound of running footsteps echoed.
Thud.
The first to arrive—or rather, the one who outright jumped out of a window and dropped down into the air—was a young man with black hair, blue eyes, and a curiously lethargic expression that said he found everything botherso.
Varen Rodona.
The last bloodline of the Marquis House of Rodona.
He was twenty-four, a year younger than Katrina.
He stared at silently, then gave a short nod.
“Hyung, right? Been a while.”
“It’s been a while. Varen! Let’s see... you’re Peak too?”
“Yeah. About two months later than noona, though.”
Varen nodded again with that eternally weary look.
Man, his personality really was sothing else.
But to reach Peak Expert at just twenty-four—that was shocking enough to astonish the whole continent.
“Oppa!”
Before I could even finish greeting Varen, Daisy ca running, her short red hair bouncing.
She sprinted at full speed, and ten paces away, she dove straight at .
Catch!
I spread my arms wide and caught Daisy as she practically flew at . The weight of her montum carried with it the strength of her joy.
“...Too much.”
Varen frowned beside .
Typical Varen. Like a big cat.
And yet he had been the one to leap right out of the window first to check on .
But once he confird it was , he stepped back as if he no longer cared—just like when we were kids.
“Oppa!”
“Hyung!”
My younger siblings sward out in a rush.
“Teacher. You’ve returned.”
While my siblings from the Banroa Kingdom crowded around with joy, Seklan—the orphan we had picked up from the dungeon—approached cautiously and bowed his head to .
I reached out and patted his head as well.
Turning my gaze, I spotted Rivera standing on the balcony of the Baron’s Keep, giving a slight bow.
I nodded back, gratitude in my eyes for watching over my siblings all this ti.
“Ransen!!!!”
Then a booming voice rang out.
At that sound, my younger siblings stopped clinging to and stepped aside with smiles, clearing a path.
A bear-like man ca thundering toward .
A smile spread across my face without realizing it.
“Burson!”
It was Burson, our last protector. Behind him, little chicks of children rubbed their sleepy eyes and trailed after him.
“It’s teacher!”
“Teaaacher!”
Burson rushed forward, wiping at his reddened eyes.
The children chirped around like baby birds.
Ah, now it finally felt real.
I had co back ho.
* * *
As it turned out, it was already past midnight at that ti.
It should have been ti to sleep, but with my return, a eting was naturally convened.
“You ca back at just the right ti, Oppa.”
Seah, her navy-blue hair braided to one side, spoke with her usual expressionless face.
The conference room of the Baron’s Keep, where a round table was placed.
Though the round table was massive, the cave-like coziness of the space and the dod ceiling made even small voices echo loud.
“So it’s been one week since I left?”
“Yeah.”
So the ti ratio really was six to one. It matched up with my rough calculations.
“Did you handle your business well... Well, we can talk about that later.”
Seah glanced briefly at the people on Rivera’s side as she spoke.
After all, the fact that I could travel through ti was still only known to our family—specifically, my direct younger siblings and Uncle Burson.
“Actually, tomorrow—well, since it’s past midnight, tonight—a general council will be held in Kushan City.”
“A general council?”
“Yeah. All the military forces in Kushan City will gather to discuss who will hold ruling authority moving forward.”
They were doing sothing like that?
That was a developnt far different from what I had expected.
“Is there really soone influential enough to host such a council?”
The ard groups of Kushan City were, for the most part, bastards.
What I had expected was a state of utter chaos, everyone struggling against everyone else.
And yet, a general council...?
“Yeah. They actually managed it.”
“Who?”
“Asher.”
“Asher?”
The mont I heard that na, my mood soured instantly.
“Don’t tell , that Asher from the bandits?”
Nod.
“Asher the slaver?”
Nod.
“Asher the drug producer? Asher of the harem?”
Nod.
Crack.
My teeth ground together of their own accord.
I didn’t bother hiding the ragged breath that ca with my anger as I asked my final question.
“The slit-eyed bastard who caused Knight Ibsen’s death?!”
“That’s right. That Asher.”
“No, how the hell is that bastard?!!”
Asher.
A thug who had co to Kushan City about five years ago, once a bandit.
With his knack for business, he had expanded his influence quickly enough that he couldn’t be ignored anymore—that much even I knew.
But no matter how high you rated him, he wasn’t the kind of big shot who could contend for Kushan City’s ruling authority.
Seah let out a small sigh before speaking.
“I was surprised too. He turned out... smarter than I thought. Annoyingly so.”
With her expressionless face, Seah summarized the current situation.
“Up until just before you ca back, we were about to be swallowed whole by Asher.”
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